FIRST DOGS: American Presidents and Their Best Friends

by Roy & Brooke Janis Rowan ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 1997

George Washington had one. Ulysses S. Grant had one. Warren G. Harding had one. And, of course, Richard Nixon had one--not just the sadly exploited Checkers, but the more regal King Timahoe, the Irish settter of his presidential days. Time-Life correspondent Rowan and photo researcher Janis have assembled a barrage of trivia and photographs of presidents and their pooches: James Garfield named his dog Veto in order to keep Congress in line; Lincoln's Fido--the first presidential dog to be officially photographed--was intimidated by the hullaballoo of Washington and was sent back home to Springfield to be looked after by the barber. And Harding's Laddie Boy had his own hand-carved chair for cabinet meetings and was on the White House welcoming committee. It's too easy to get corny and cute on this subject, and Rowan succumbs--only people with terminal canineophilia will want to read this all the way through.

Pub Date: June 1, 1997

ISBN: 1565129369

Page Count: 160

Publisher: Algonquin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1997

Categories: NONFICTION